Shear Strengthening and Rehabilitation of Normal Reinforced Concrete Beams: A Review

Abstract

The structural integrity of reinforced concrete (RC) structures diminishes over time due to ageing, unexpected loads such as earthquakes, and corrosion-induced deterioration, necessitating rehabilitation or replacement. Insufficient shear capacity and lack of ductility in normal RC beams lead to extensive damage during earthquakes. Addressing shear deficiencies is critical as they are more hazardous and can lead to sudden failure. Shear strengthening of RC beams enhances their load-carrying capacity and prevents brittle shear failures. This paper reviews several methods of strengthening beams in shear, focusing on the Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP) method for strengthening beams in shear as ACI 440.2R fully covers the design procedure. To enhance the shear strength of a concrete beam using FRP, the shear force contribution by the composite should be estimated, and a suitable system should be selected, such as two-sided, three-sided wraps or a fully wrap system of the application. Then, the spacing between the FRP strips should be found. The beam would be properly strengthened for shear using FRP sheets.

Keywords

• shear strength
• rc beams
• strengthening
• frp
• rehabilitation